1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a medical imaging apparatus and a method of providing medical images which may more accurately quantify elasticity of tissues.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a medical imaging apparatus acquires an image of an object using transmission, absorption, or reflection characteristics of ultrasonic waves, a laser, X-rays, etc. by the object, and uses such an image in diagnosis. For example, medical imaging apparatuses may include an ultrasonic imaging apparatus, a photoacoustic imaging apparatus, and an X-ray imaging apparatus.
Among these medical imaging apparatuses, the ultrasonic imaging apparatus irradiates ultrasonic signals to internal tissues from the surface of an object, and acquires tomographic images of soft tissues or images regarding a blood stream through reflected ultrasonic echo signals.
The ultrasonic imaging apparatus may acquire an amplitude mode (A-mode) image, a brightness mode (B-mode) image, a Doppler mode (D-mode) image, a motion mode (M-mode) image, and an elastography mode (E-mode) image.
An elastic image refers to an image expressing the degree of firmness of tissues of an object using a color scale or a gray scale by measuring the degree of strain of the tissues by applying force to the tissues of the object.